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Healthy Eating Tips

There is no shortage of nutritional guidance and recommendations on the web, including across our social media channels. But how do you separate fact from fiction in the online, social media nutrition universe?

ARS scientists support human health at all stages of life by conducting research to better understand relationships between nutrient intake, eating patterns, and health conditions and how nutrition promotes health.

A team of ARS researchers is providing farmers in Hawaii with new apps to help manage threats to their crops.

The domesticated apple is an important fruit crop grown in most of the world.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals", can persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in animals, humans, and plants.

ARS researchers are finding innovative ways to reduce food loss and waste – from farm to table.

Researchers examined the ability of colored rice bran extracts to stimulate glucose uptake.

Take a look at a sampling of ARS's innovative research solutions that could help reduce food loss and waste in America.

ARS researchers worked with the Quapaw tribe to create high-resolution digital maps of soil properties for their tribal lands.

Get cooking with these great recipes from Cooking with Science!

Sorghum bran could provide both good flavor and nutritional value to gluten-free breads.

What do your food plates look like, and how do they compare to the USDA’s MyPlate? Let’s find out.

How do you know if the food you eat is nutritious? Take the Nutrition Challenge, to find out.

Careers for new scientists span a variety of disciplines in agriculture. Want to know more? Check out this page.

Feeding astronauts on long space missions requires more than just leafy greens and tomatoes.

Vegetables can have a positive impact on your mental wellbeing.

Good nutrition is important for everyone, not just Olympic athletes. 

ARS scientists are working with NASA to develop sustainable farming techniques and technologies to grow fresh produce while in spaceflight.

Scientists are perfecting a technology to embed nanoparticles of silver – a known anti-microbial agent – inside of cotton fibers.

'Agrivoltaics' is a hot new idea that uses land for both growing food and making energy from the sun in states where there’s lots of sunshine and not much water.

ARS maintains an experimental orchard in Geneva, NY, devoted to bringing you even better apples for the future.

Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening, poses the most serious threat that the Florida citrus industry has ever faced.

A team of USDA scientists is working on a double-cropping system as a way to improve a farmer’s profit margin by growing cattle feed between rows of a cash crop, in this case corn or soybean.

Popular folk remedy witch hazel is an effective and natural alternative to conventional antibiotics.

The ARS Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit conducts research to protect both the health of consumers and the marketability of eggs.

The Agricultural Research Service is helping ensure that native plants with cultural, historical, medicinal, and edible significance remain available for future generations.

Agriculture's impact on the planet depends on how it’s practiced.

A new process converts organic waste into nanocellulose, a brown, fibrous material that can be used in multiple products from cardboard boxes to food packaging.

ARS scientists have invented a new way to keep waste out of landfills, make consumer products safer, and reduce dangerous emissions – all at the same time.

A new biobased kitty litter developed by ARS scientists could be coming to a box near you—your cat's, that is.

ARS scientists are hard at work identifying new plant oils and new uses for existing ones, both in and outside the kitchen.

One approach to eliminating plastic packaging is to use plant-based fiber to create products that are environmentally harmless but provide similar results to plastic.

Learn about this innovative approach that’s helping farmers grow their crops more efficiently – and sustainably.

ARS scientists are analyzing spinach varieties to identify varieties that have low oxalate levels, which is sometimes linked to better health.

ARS scientists are looking to turn the tables on mosquitoes and other insect pests like house flies by making them into lunch for other animals.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the United States and third largest in the world.

The United States began honoring women’s history in 1980, but ARS has a long tradition of celebrating the role of women in science.

ARS scientists use genetics to keep the Louisiana sugar industry vital.

ARS researchers have discovered that the condition of soil dramatically affects how well grasslands can sequester carbon in the soil.

Scientists are turning that waste into products that can refresh the soil. Two examples involve mill mud and bagasse.

Researchers may boost the cotton nonwoven industry and clean the environment.

Check out the videos in our "What Is" video series.

Rice, already the primary staple for half the world's population, is getting a makeover from a research team in New Orleans, LA. The results are a more healthful grain and many potential new products.

It's Mardi Gras season and we’re excited to feature some of the great research happening at the ARS Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, LA!

ARS scientists have identified a possible tool to fight the invasion of the Brazilian peppertree.

Flooding fields may be a win-win for farmers and birds in the Mississippi Delta.

A Thanksgiving meal just wouldn’t be the same without the sweet/tart goodness of cranberries. A project funded by ARS is working to ensure the staple stays on the table.

Vertical farming, the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, allows farmers to grow fresh produce indoors year-round.

The National Agricultural Library is making it easier to stay up-to-date with new nutrition research!

Raising healthy chickens requires planning, attention to detail, and fastidiousness when it comes to completing daily chores.

A restless plant that thrives in several cemeteries in Mississippi could be linked to a royal Gypsy family.

ARS researchers are improving soil through better farming practices.

ARS is researching the benefits of agroforestry.

ARS researchers discovered a fuzzy gray bee that carves its nest into chunks of sandstone!

Test your knowledge of late summer fruits and vegetables at your local farm or farmers market. How many can you find?

A pair of bald eagles and their eaglet live in a tree at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

ARS researchers undertook a five-year study to improve control of the ticks that spread Lyme disease.

ARS scientists in Burns OR are giving native plants, and the ecosystems they support, a helping hand by combatting invasive plants.

Add color and flavor to your water by making fruity ice cubes at home.

ARS developed climate smart farming systems by employing artificial intelligence (AI) to help farms become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

ARS scientists in Arizona are exploring ways to use water more efficiently, by recycling wastewater to irrigate crops.

Are you eating ARS-developed French fries?

Learn how ARS’s research and accomplishments promote sustainability, address climate change, and benefit the environment.

Composting is an excellent way to reduce waste that’s sent to landfills while providing soil in your gardens or fields with precious nutrients.

ARS scientists are helping to preserve the genetic diversity of our food crops by storing the seeds and other parts of hundreds of thousands of plants.

Did you know that popcorn is a 100 percent whole grain? Learn more about popcorn.

Do you know what food groups are part of a healthy plate? MyPlate can help you build a healthy eating routine and can be used for kids and adults of all ages!

A new method of freezing food without turning it rock solid could not only improve the quality, but save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, too.

The ARS Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit is equipped with state-of-the-art microscopes capable of producing high-resolution, digital images.

Should you store eggs in the refrigerator or let them sit out in the kitchen at room temperature?

Nematodes with a taste for "insect innards" may offer cranberry growers a natural alternative to fighting hungry crop pests with chemical insecticides.

Did you know that ARS scientists developed a tasty, nutrient-rich peanut butter alternative made from sunflower seeds?

ARS scientists are working to make a better jet biofuel and make air travel more sustainable.

The USDA has an app, called Food Keeper, to help you learn how to store the foods that you eat properly!

Aeromonas hydrophila has ravaged the catfish farming industry in Alabama and other states since its discovery in 2009.

Pumpkins are fun to carve, but they are also a favorite ingredient for many people!

Microalgae could provide a strong, sustainably produced artificial diet for honeybees.

Scientists at the ARS Fruit and Tree Nut Research Station have developed a new way to protect pecans from diseases.

ARS scientists found a way to make a valuable compound from bread waste.

ARS entomologist Tracey Leskey, who talks about stink bugs, ants, box elder bugs and other insects.

ARS researchers are evaluating ways to use gluten-free alternatives, like amaranth, in popular products like cookies and pasta.

Learn more about food allergies and how to stay safe

Discover what the different vitamins and minerals do and how to choose foods that contain them.

ARS scientists have come up with a very promising for peanut allergy treatment.

ARS scientists are helping farmers and ranchers convert farm and ranch leftovers and waste to sources of bioenergy (oil and gas), and high-value by-products.

Scientists are turning potentially wasted fruits and veggies into tasty, healthful products for you to enjoy.

The air potato vine introduced 115 years ago from Asia has multiplied and smothered native plant communities in all of Florida’s 67 counties.

Scientists' studies of nine milkweed species in critical breeding areas of the country show that female monarch butterflies prefer laying their eggs on certain milkweed species.

When it comes to restoring rangeland habitats, there is no replacement for "prescribed fire," according to Agricultural Research Service ecologists.

A high-tech facility called SoyFACE allows for open-air field tests simulating greenhouse gases conditions predicted for 2050.

ARS scientists aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty while researching ways to manage manure and protect water resources.

Scientists are examining biochar's potential to rejuvenate the soil, especially in degraded land areas like mining sites where high acidity and pollutants like heavy metals can stop or slow plant growth.

Scientists are experimenting with alfalfa as a promising alternative to using fishmeal, a protein-rich ingredient in aquaculture feeds given to "farm-raised" finfish and shellfish.

ARS researchers helped formulate a tasty fruit-based bar with health-promoting ingredients.

Learn about photosynthesis and how plants use it to feed the planet.

Healthy eating is healthy living with these online tools.

Nutrition experts Dr. Patrice Armstrong and Colleen Sideck, from the Food and Human Nutrition Information Center, answer questions and provide tips

The Nutrition Facts label provides a suggested serving size and can help you learn how much of each nutrient you are eating.

The bacteria that live and work together to keep you healthy are called the “gut microbiota.”

With some planning, it is easy to combine plant-based foods throughout the day.

Healthy snacks can give you energy when you are hungry between meals.

Starting the day with a healthy breakfast can help you stay focused and energized while learning.

Discover what fiber is and why it's important to eat it.

ARS has bred "seedless" grape varieties with seeds so tiny that you can't even detect them.

What you eat at certain stages of life may determine your future health.

Great pizza needs great ingredients! Did you know that two of those were developed by ARS?

Seaweed farming is the fastest growing sector of American aquaculture and ARS scientists can help farmers cash in on stealthy commercial market.

ARS researchers in Franklin, ME, have bred an improved salmon strain and shared the eggs with commercial fish farms

ARS scientists collect, study and evaluate natural enemies with potential to biologically control invasive plants.

A process controls weeds by using exhaust heat produced by a walk-behind tractor.

ARS scientists develop sustainable agricultural systems to protect natural resources and support rural communities in arid and semi-arid regions.

ARS researchers are exploring using camera-mounted drones to reduce herbicide spraying where and when it’s not needed.

ARS researchers and partners have developed the most complete genome sequence to date for yak and Scottish Highland cattle.

ARS scientists released “Hidden Valley” meadow fescue, a type of flowering grass that flourishes across the midwestern U.S.

ARS scientists are developing integrated approaches to managing crop, animal and watershed systems.

ARS scientists developed a simple hand-operated planter which can efficiently seed a variety of small-seeded herbs and vegetables.

ARS scientists are working to increase the photosynthetic ability of food and bioenergy crops.

ARS researchers have developed innovative methods to mitigate wildfires.

ARS scientists are exploring sustainable approaches to managing forage and grazing lands.

ARS scientists helped to develop Irrigator Pro, an agricultural decision support tool that helps farmers schedule irrigation.

Nutrition experts Dr. Patrice Armstrong and Colleen Sideck answer questions and provide tips and resources for eating better and maintaining a healthy diet.